Fingerprint identification involves the recognition of a pattern of ridges and valleys on the fingertips of a human hand. Fingerprint images can be captured by several types of methods. The oldest method is optical scanning. Most optical scanners use a charge coupled device (CCD) to capture the image of a fingertip that is placed on an illuminated plastic or glass platen. The CCD then converts the image into a digital signal. Optical fingerprint scanners are reliable and inexpensive, but they are fairly large and cannot be easily integrated into small devices.
In recent years, new approaches using non-optical technologies have been developed. One approach uses capacitance, or an object's ability to hold an electric charge, to capture fingerprint images. In this approach, the finger skin is one of the capacitor plates and a microelectrode is the other capacitor plate. The value of the capacitance is a function of the distance between the finger skin and the microelectrode. When the finger is placed on a microelectrode array, the capacitance variation pattern measured from electrode to electrode gives a mapping of the distance between the finger skin and the various microelectrodes underneath. The mapping corresponds to the ridge and valley structure on the finger tip. The capacitance is read using a integrated circuit fabricated on the same substrate as the microelectrode array.
A slightly different approach uses an active capacitive sensor array to capture the fingerprint image. The surface of each sensor is composed of two adjacent sensor plates. These sensor plates create a fringing capacitance between them whose field lines extend beyond the surface of the sensor. When live skin is brought in close proximity to the sensor plates, the skin interferes with field lines between the two plates and generate a “feedback” capacitance that is different from the original fringing capacitance. Because the fingerprint ridge and fingerprint valley generate different feedback capacitance, the entire fingerprint image may be captured by the array based on the feedback capacitance from each sensor. The capacitance sensors, however, are vulnerable to electric field and electrostatic discharge (ESD). The capacitance sensors also do not work with wet fingers. Moreover, the silicon-based sensor chip requires high power input (about 20 mA) and is expensive to manufacture.
Another approach employs thermal scanners to measure the differences in temperature between the ridges and the air caught in the valleys. The scanners typically use an array of thermal-electric sensors to capture the temperature difference. As the electrical charge generated within a sensor depends on the temperature change experienced by this sensor, a representation of the temperature field on the sensor array is obtained. This temperature field is directly related to the fingerprint structure. When a finger is initially placed on a thermal scanner, the temperature difference between the finger and the sensors in the array is usually large enough to be measurable and an image is created. However, it takes less than one-tenth of a second for the finger and the sensors to reach an equal temperature and the charge pattern representing the fingerprint will quickly fade away if the temperature change is not regularly refreshed.
Yet another approach is to use pressure sensors to detect the ridges and valleys of a fingerprint. The sensors typically include a compressible dielectric layer sandwiched between two electrodes. When pressure is applied to the top electrode, the inter-electrode distance changes, which modifies the capacitance associated with this structure. The higher the pressure applied, the larger the sensor capacitance gets. Arrays of such sensors combined with a read-out integrated circuit can be used for fingerprint acquisition. The pressure sensors may also be made of piezoelectric material. U.S. patent application Publication No. 20020053857 describes a piezoelectric film fingerprint scanner that contains an array of rod-like piezoelectric pressure sensors covered by a protective film. When a finger is brought into contact with such an array, the impedance of the pressure sensor changes under pressure. Fingerprint ridges correspond to the highest pressure point, while little pressure is applied at points associated with the fingerprint valleys. A range of intermediate pressures can be read for the transition zone between fingerprint ridge and valleys. The pattern of impedance changes, which is recorded by an impedance detector circuit, provides a representation of the fingerprint structure. The pressure sensing methods provide good recognition for wet fingers and are not susceptible to ESD. However, the major problem with the pressure based-detection method is the low sensor sensitivity. A certain amount of pressure is required for a sensor to generate a signal that is above the background noise. In order to reach this threshold pressure, the finger often needs to be pressed hard against the scanner to a point that the ridges and valleys are flattened under pressure, which may result in inaccurate fingerprint representation.
Thus, a need still exists for a fingerprint identification device that is accurate and sensitive, has a compact size, requires low power input, and can be manufactured at low cost.